What caused UConn’s comeback vs Duke?

Question

Hans Steiner · Accepted Answer

Why UConn flipped the Elite Eight against Duke

UConn’s Elite Eight win over Duke ended with a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer from freshman Braylon Mullins—sinking a shot with 0.4 seconds remaining to turn what looked like a collapse in real time into a Final Four berth.

The provided stories describe a few key elements that explain how the comeback became possible, and why it matters:

UConn had a brutal start from deep: they began the game 1-for-18 from 3-point range, yet they stayed in the game long enough for that trend to reverse.
The Huskies trailed by double digits with time running: they were still down in the second half when the game became a high-urgency, possession-by-possession grind.
A late-game belief shift mattered: one account emphasizes that Dan Hurley leaned on positivity and that players “believed they could come back.” In practice, that’s about executing under pressure rather than forcing desperation shots.
The final margin came from clutch finishing: Mullins’ deep heave was the decisive moment that erased Duke’s control and sent UConn to its third Final Four in four years.

Why the result resonates

It underscores that tournament basketball can swing dramatically even when a team shoots poorly early.
It also highlights UConn’s late-game composure: the comeback didn’t end with a single sequence—it built through persistent execution and then peaked at the final shot.

What’s specifically confirmed

Duke led by a large margin at the outset and UConn still won.
Mullins’ last-second 3-pointer was the clincher.

Overall, the comeback wasn’t explained by one single stat; it was the combination of staying alive despite shooting woes, sustaining momentum in the second half, and finishing with a historically timed play.